There’s a new dating term making headlines: kittenfishing.

If you’re picturing tiny cats and fishing poles, unfortunately that’s not it. Kittenfishing refers to presenting an exaggerated version of yourself online—not a completely fake person, but a carefully edited one. Think old photos, inflated job titles, questionable height claims, or describing yourself as “outdoorsy” because you once went on a hike during the Obama administration.

In other words, kittenfishing is catfishing’s less ambitious cousin.

Unlike catfishing, which involves pretending to be someone else entirely, kittenfishing is all about small deceptions that make you seem a little more attractive, successful, adventurous, or youthful than reality. And while many people see it as harmless, it raises an important question:

What’s the endgame?

Let’s say you claim to be 6’1″ when you’re actually 5’8″. Great—you got the date. Then what? Unless you’re arriving on stilts, the truth is coming out pretty quickly.

The same goes for using photos from years ago or stretching the truth about your lifestyle. You may get more matches, but you’ve also created a disconnect between who someone expects to meet and who actually shows up.

And that’s where the real problem begins.

Most people aren’t nearly as concerned about a few extra pounds, a less glamorous job, or a birthday that starts with a higher number than they are about feeling misled. The issue isn’t your age, your appearance, or your resume. It’s trust.

When someone realizes they’ve been sold a slightly fictional version of you, the first date stops being about chemistry and starts being about credibility.

At OBC, we think one of the biggest misconceptions in modern dating is that you need to be impressive to find a great relationship. You don’t.

You need to be authentic.

The right person isn’t looking for the most polished, optimized version of you. They’re looking for the real you. Because if someone only likes the fictional version you’ve created online, they don’t actually like you at all.

That’s why authenticity remains one of the most attractive qualities in dating. Real connections happen when people show up honestly, imperfections and all.

If you’re tired of dating profiles that feel more like marketing campaigns than introductions, you’re not alone. OBC was built around a simple idea: meaningful relationships start when real people connect over shared interests, values, and experiences—not carefully curated highlight reels.

Ready to meet people who are showing up as themselves? Join OBC today and start making authentic connections.